Bank Strike on January 27: Why Public Sector Banks May See Disruptions Across India
Public sector banks across India may witness significant disruption on Tuesday, January 27, as bank employee unions have announced a nationwide strike to press for the implementation of a five-day workweek. If the strike proceeds as planned, customers could face inconvenience in routine banking services, including branch operations, cheque clearing and customer support.
New Delhi, January 26: Public sector banks across India may witness significant disruption on Tuesday, January 27, as bank employee unions have announced a nationwide strike to press for the implementation of a five-day workweek. If the strike proceeds as planned, customers could face inconvenience in routine banking services, including branch operations, cheque clearing and customer support.
The strike call has been issued by the United Forum of Bank Unions (UFBU), an umbrella body representing nine major bank employee unions. The decision came after talks with authorities failed to produce a resolution. Bank Holiday: Banks Likely Shut for 4 Consecutive Days From Today Due to Holidays, Nationwide Strike.
Why Are Bank Unions Going on Strike?
The agitation stems from a wage revision settlement signed in March 2024 between the Indian Banks’ Association (IBA) and UFBU. As part of that agreement, both sides had consented to making all Saturdays bank holidays, effectively moving to a five-day workweek. However, the proposal has not yet been implemented, leading unions to escalate the matter. Bank Holidays in February 2026: Banks To Remain Closed for 9 Days Next Month; Check Full List Here.
Following the strike notice, the Chief Labour Commissioner held conciliation meetings earlier this week, but unions said the discussions failed to yield any positive outcome. “Despite detailed discussions, there was no positive result from the conciliation proceedings,” the UFBU said, confirming the January 27 strike, as reported by PTI.
Which Banks May be Affected ?
The strike is expected to impact major government-owned lenders, including State Bank of India, Punjab National Bank, Bank of Baroda and Bank of India, along with other public sector banks. Several lenders have already alerted customers about possible service disruptions.
Currently, bank employees get the second and fourth Saturdays off, apart from Sundays. Unions argue that a five-day schedule will not hurt productivity, as employees are willing to work an additional 40 minutes per day from Monday to Friday. They also point out that institutions like the Reserve Bank of India, LIC, stock exchanges and most government offices already follow a five-day workweek.
Private sector banks such as HDFC Bank, ICICI Bank and Kotak Mahindra Bank are not expected to be affected.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jan 26, 2026 05:44 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).